India – Saudi Relations offer stability to Gulf region

As a strong votary of Palestinian cause India commands good will among Arab and muslim countries. It had no diplomatic relations with Israel till early 90s but later on maintained a balanced relationship with both Israel and Arab states. Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab state, always continued special relations with India even after disintegration of friendly countries like Iraq and Libya. Arab League did not support Kashmir cause of Pakistan. ‘League of Arab States has no position on the specific question of Jammu and Kashmir. We look forward for peaceful coexistence, tolerance and dialogue among different civilisations’-it maintained. Even after Babri mosque demolition Saudi Arabia was silent. All Arab nations have always been in good terms with India. As a country with second largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia, India always had cordial relations with the Arabs – even during times of confrontation with Pakistan. India applied for full OIC membership and all the member countries were favourable but Pakistan blocked the proposal. India has huge Muslim population; most of them are employed in Saudi Arabia. With 2.96 million-strong Indian community in Saudi Arabia, 50% of overseas Indians annual remittances of more than 70 billion dollar come from gulf countries out of which 75% live in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia being the birth place of Islam and the home of Mecca and Medina, Riyadh has tremendous influence on Sunni Muslims who make up the majority of India’s Muslim population. India is the second largest muslim country with more Muslims than Pakistan and many times more than Saudi population and prides its rich Islamic heritage. Modi- himself is an ardent follower of Sufism and recently hosted world Sufi conference inviting scholars from all over the world. India and Saudi Arabia business connections are old and bilateral trade has touched 50 billion USD this year with Indian companies like Wipro and TCS having good presence there. Security and counter-terror cooperation between India and Saudi got elevated to the level of strategic partnership after Manmohan Singh’s visit in 2010.

Saudi government has strong extradition treaty vide which Saudi intelligence deported four most wanted terrorists including Abu Jundal to India. As recent as 31st March 2016, Saudi Arabia and the United States imposed joint sanctions on Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group which is blamed for Mumbai terror attack. During Modi’s UAE visit in August, the joint statement calling all states to abandon terror was an oblique message to Islamabad. But for Pakistan’s military leadership, KSA could very well have drafted India into coalition of 34 countries to fight terror. Saudi money might have, to an extent, promoted terror through Takfiri ideology but unlike Pakistan, there is absolutely no involvement of Saudi state apparatus which has, on the contrary, extended co-operation in busting terror modules and apprehending suspects. India- Saudi relations are not new; Modi is the fourth Indian Prime Minister to visit Saudi Arabia after Manmohan Singh (2010), Indira Gandhi (1982) and Jawaharlal Nehru (1956). Indians, not Pakistanis, are the largest community in Saudi for decades. India’s ties with Saudi Arabia – on an upswing over the last two decades contingent upon burgeoning energy ties – is now poised to move beyond buyer-seller relationship through joint ventures and investment in refineries and oil fields.This is a transactional relationship; Saudis offer black gold and India has human resource to offer in return. Following UAE, Saudis want to invest in this fastest growing economy of the world. Modi’s development-centric visit has got nothing to do with Pakistan which needs to come out of this obsession of Saudi Arab-Iran talk being Pakistan centric.

From $100 barrel down to $35 barrel, oil is a big worry for Saudi Arabia who plan to diversify reliance on oil economy by establishing large sovereign fund bordering $1 trillion (about Rs 65 lakh crore) that will be available by early next year for investment in infrastructure development over the next five years. Visionary Modi seeks to tap a large portion for infra investment projects in India through participation of Indian companies. Saudi Aramco Sabic has invested 100 million US$ in a R & D centre in Bangalore spread over 46 acres. Indian engineering giant L&T has huge construction activities going in the Saudi Arabia. It is not a new development rather consistent foreign policy that India has followed for years to scout for KSA funds while pragmatically following permanent interests. The Arabs have a better feel for the situation on the ground than people give them credit for. India supplies oil-rich Gulf Arab nations with millions of migrant labourers.

Modi declared to establish a round-the-clock helpline for workers in Riyadh and resource centres in Saudi Arabia’s two largest cities of Riyadh and Jeddah. Pictures of Saudi women employed in women-only IT and ITES canter in Riyadh, proudly posing with Modi during his recent visit, were truly inspiring. During the G20 summit in November 2014, Modi cultivated a very warm personal relationship with the present King Salman bin Abdulaziz, then the crown prince. It is the pay off period now. Indian and Saudi national interests are complimentary and based on shared beneficial interests. The days of oil influence might be over but Saudi Arabia still remains India’s biggest provider of crude oil and its ‘Strategic Energy Partner’.

Modi’s current visit has more coordinates to the relationship coming as it does amid the current turmoil in West Asia. The West’s reasons to support the House of Saud may be different from India’s but both realise the ease of dealing with one prevailing kingdom than a disintegrating structure of the kind some Middle Eastern states have become recently. India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia is purely bilateral. Fortunately India, unlike Pakistan, doesn’t seek ‘gifts ‘ from Saudi Arabia. This mutually beneficial relation promises stability in Middle East.